Chicago Bulls: No One Scoring More Than 15 PPG

Derrick Rose's absence presents several challenges for the Chicago Bulls, but their biggest shortcoming thus far is consistent scoring.

Save for an outburst against the inferior Cleveland Cavaliers, the Bulls have failed to score at a playoff-caliber clip.

Ball distribution is not a difficulty, as the team leads the Eastern Conference in assists. But individual shot-creation is definitely an area of concern.

Carlos Boozer and Luol Deng are the team's best all-around scorers, but they still aren't advanced ball-handlers or good pull-up shooters. Rose isn't returning anytime soon, so scoring in the low nineties could become a regular problem.

Indiana Pacers: Sloppy Play

Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Unnerving Stat: 20.7 Turnovers Per Game

Starting the season 2-1 doesn't seem like a bad thing, but the Indiana Pacers have the most unimpressive 2-1 record in basketball.

Their two wins were over Sacramento (in overtime) and Toronto, while their loss was at the hands of the Charlotte Bobcats. Upcoming games against San Antonio and Atlanta will provide a real test for Indiana.

A mountainous pile of turnovers is hindering the squad's overall production, as it has already racked up 62 turnovers compared to just 57 assists.

If they continue to play inefficiently, they'll be hard-pressed to win 45 games.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Personnel Not Ready for Prime Time?

Unnerving Stat: Tyler Zeller and C.J. Miles each average less than five PPG

The season started off well enough for Cleveland with a win over the undermanned Washington Wizards.

But back-to-back losses against Central Division foes have Cavaliers fans wondering whether the club has the talent to prevent contenders from running them out of the gym.

The Chicago Bulls put on a clinic against the Cavaliers, a game in which the Bulls scored 115 and not a single Cleveland player had a positive plus/minus. Then, the Cavs lost a heartbreaker to Milwaukee that included a total of 15 points from the bench.

Kyrie Irving is the only upper-echelon player on this team, and it shows.

Anderson Varejao is the only above-average rebounder on this team, and it shows.

Milwaukee Bucks: Not Enough Production in Post

No disrespect to Mike Dunleavy's all-around skills, but his team-leading nine rebounds per game isn't a good sign.

The Milwaukee Bucks must raise their game in the paint or hope that John Henson's return from a knee injury is successful.

Even when Henson does return, the Bucks might struggle all season to produce at the power forward and center positions. Aside from Larry Sanders, none of the Milwaukee bigs are producing.

Ekpe Udoh, Samuel Dalembert and Joel Przybilla are collectively playing 42.5 minutes per game, but they're registering just 8.5 points and six rebounds. That is less than half the production that the team needs out of that trio.

Toronto Raptors: Landry Fields Quiet Thus Far

There's no need to hit the panic button, but the Toronto Raptors would like to see Landry Fields find his place in the team's offense in the near future.

The newcomer who signed a lucrative contract hasn't hit his stride yet and hasn't scored more than five points in a game. Head coach Dwayne Casey isn't fretting, but he'd like to see more out of his $19 million man:

"We probably need a few more points from him but just get him in transition, running the floor and a bit more cutting" Casey told the Toronto Sun. "We gave him a few post ups and he has to be productive on those. But we’re not over-reacting at all."

If the Raptors want to sneak into fourth place or (heaven forbid) third in the Atlantic Division, Fields must find the bucket more often.

Boston Celtics: Overdependent on Rondo, Pierce and Garnett

On paper, the retooled Boston Celtics seemed like a Eastern Conference title contender before the season began, but they didn't look like it through the first week of play.

The defense should get a mulligan in the first game against Miami, as the new personnel was adjusting to the defensive system and was facing the defending champions. But the club shouldn't get a pass for losing to the Bucks and then eking out a win over the inferior Washington Wizards.

Part of the problem is that the veteran returnees are still accounting for more than half of the team's total offensive creation, and the newcomers haven't pulled enough weight.

On the glass, Jared Sullinger, Chris Wilcox and Darko Milicic are grabbing a total of 6.5 rebounds per game. That's not much help to Kevin Garnett and Brandon Bass.

These aren't panic-worthy issues for the Brooklyn Nets this early in the season, but the health of the small forwards is critical to the team's playoff hopes.

Avery Johnson has the keys to a talented club with all the interior and perimeter pieces necessary to thrive in today's NBA. However, it's not an extremely deep team at forward, and replacing Wallace's multifaceted contributions would be difficult.

Washington Wizards: Overdependent on John Wall

Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE

Unnerving Stat: Averaging 85 PPG

We knew that Washington would struggle without John Wall, so this shouldn't be a shock.

But in case you had any hopes of the crew holding down the fort for the next month, here's a sobering reality: The Wizards are led in scoring by Kevin Seraphin. He's a competent post player, but he's not scoring-leader material.

Bradley Beal isn't quite ready to pick up the scoring slack, and although A.J. Price, Jannero Pargo and Jordan Crawford are doing a magnificent job of facilitating, it's not enough.

It's difficult to duplicate the efforts of a dynamic playmaker such as Wall, as he creates so many open looks for himself and others every game.

Here's the predicament: No one else is rebounding, and James can't always be counted on to be in the post to crash the boards. When he steps out on the perimeter to facilitate or shoot, the Heat are a one-man (Bosh) rebounding crew.

Atlanta Hawks: Kyle Korver out of Place

When Josh Smith's ankle heals and he returns to his rebounding and scoring self, many of the Atlanta Hawks' woes will be cured.

Hopefully it will also help out newcomer Kyle Korver, who is 1-of-7 from downtown.

The veteran sharpshooter has contributed minimal offense to the Hawks in the early going this season, and he's hardly a defensive presence. For 17.5 minutes per contest, he brings little value.

It's quite possible that Chicago was a better fit for him than Atlanta will ever be, but that answer will come in due time. In the meantime, Korver must work to chip in as much as he can while he's on the court.

San Antonio Spurs: Not Controlling Glass

Much like the Miami Heat, the San Antonio Spurs are a championship-level program that's having trouble rebounding early on in 2012-13.

With Tony Parker and Tim Duncan still directing traffic, the club can compensate with efficient offense and disciplined defense.

But a greater rebounding effort could separate them from the pack.

Take the Oklahoma City game, for example. Parker's heroics made everything alright, but if the Spurs had rebounded better, that game wouldn't have been close. The Thunder outrebounded San Anonio 48-39.

Dallas Mavericks: Giving Opponents Second Chances

The Dallas Mavericks sans-Dirk Nowitzki are constructed to score by committee and try to limit the damage on the other end of the floor.

Considering the face of the franchise is sidelined, the new-look squad is flourishing offensively and is not desperately in need of their German superstar.

But they are in need of some help on the defensive boards, where opposing offenses are chewing them up and getting second-chance opportunities. Foes have already snagged 50 offensive rebounds in just three games.

Aside from Brandan Wright, the Mavericks' post players aren't athletic at all. They could be in for a rough season if younger, more agile teams take advantage in the paint.

Houston Rockets: Relying Too Much on Three Ball?

Who knew one beard could fire up a franchise so much? James Harden has electrified Houston fans so far, but can he and the Rockets survive being so perimeter-based?

Harden, Chandler Parsons and Carlos Delfino are hoisting up a truckload of triples every night, and as a team, Houston is only converting 28 percent of them.

The Rockets' 95-85 loss to Portland is a perfect example of what happens when the three-pointer is relied on too heavily. They tossed up 26 threes, made just five of them and as a result, they ended up with a college score total.

Houston's low-post personnel aren't ideal, but they must find ways to get high-percentage shots from a closer distance. Otherwise, they will live and die by the long ball all season.

Memphis Grizzlies: Subpar Bench Production

Memphis should stay competitive in the Southwest Division in 2012-13, but if it wants to secure a playoff spot, the bench needs to step up in a hurry.

The Grizzlies' bench was significantly outscored in both of its games thus far. Against Golden State, it wasn't as critical, but against a full-strength Clippers club, the weak reserve effort was fatal.

Wayne Ellington and Jerryd Bayless have chipped in so far, but they've received almost no help from their fellow substitutes.

Marreese Speights has been particularly disappointing, scoring just 5.5 points and grabbing 3.5 rebounds in his role as primary post reserve. He must pick up the production in order to give Memphis the depth it needs to contend.

His injured ankle has already severely affected his court time this season, and therefore has affected the team's effectiveness in the paint.

Luckily, David Lee and Carl Landry are able to pick up the slack for now. But if the Warriors want to mix things up in the Pacific Division, they'll need his size and defensive prowess. He's dependable for a dozen points, 8-10 rebounds and consistent post defense every night when he's healthy.

Phoenix Suns: No True Star

Phoenix did an admirable job rebuilding after the departure of Steve Nash, adding talented players like Luis Scola, Goran Dragic and Michael Beasley.

No matter how many points those players account for, there's something about having a legitimate superstar that's irreplaceable. No one on the current roster has been in an All-Star game since 2007 (and only Jermaine O'Neal has been an All-Star).

There's no single player the Suns can count on to carry them in crunch time, go toe-to-toe with opposing stars or lead them through the playoffs. In that sense, they will miss Nash greatly.

Nash also set up the entire team for success, putting his teammates in position for high-percentage shots. Now, the team's spot-up shooters and pick-and-roll post players don't have it as easy.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Defensive/Offensive Inconsistency

Just when we thought the Oklahoma City Thunder were starting the season off strong defensively, they let Atlanta run wild in the second half on Sunday.

The Hawks, without Josh Smith, engineered a high-scoring comeback predicated on aggressiveness and dribble penetration. Oklahoma City allowed far too many points off the dribble, allowing Atlanta's guards all the way to the tin.

The Thunder also coughed the ball up 20 times, thus hamstringing its ability to thwart the Hawks' comeback.

Scott Brooks must figure out how to compensate for the loss of James Harden as a defender and facilitator off the bench.

Utah Jazz: Backcourt Defense

Defensive shortcomings are rarely one person's fault, and as a unit, the Utah Jazz must commit to tightening things up.

Opponents are lighting them up on the perimeter, shooting 23-of-49 (47 percent) on three-pointers. Something must change, or they will be outgunned by every efficient offense in the league.

Veteran guards Randy Foye and Mo Williams don't have a track record of being great defenders, and the injured Earl Watson won't make a huge impact upon his return, so a collective effort is crucial. Rotations and communication are paramount.